How to Curate Viral Spotify Playlists with Dance DJ / Producer Simon Field

‍Simon Field is an acclaimed producer and songwriter based in Oslo, Norway, with recent collabs and releases on Perfect Havoc including ‘Is It Real?’ (2 million streams), ‘Shake The Tree’ (9 million streams), and ‘Wildfire’ (2.7 million streams). Simon is also a true pioneer of Spotify dance playlists, curating 'Rooftop Party', 'Tech House 2020' as well as the popular 'Ibiza 2020' playlist, amassing over 380,000 followers and counting. Simon’s music has also featured in US TV ('Californication', 'Ugly Betty'), Academy Award nominated film, 'Passengers', with resounding support from the likes of Mistajam, Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1, Mixmag, Joel Corry, Tiësto and NRJ, just to name a few.

We caught up with Simon to learn more about his top tips for curating viral Spotify playlists and how to make it in the world of playlist marketing, as he continues to build momentum and grow in reverence within this medium:

‍1) Come up with a name and identity that sticks

"I was so fed up of tropical house in 2015, I wanted to make a profile that was commercial but clubby to show that tropical house is not house, this is house... I thought 'Ibiza' was a good name and shared the hell out of it. Name the genre after a vibe, concept or mood... 'Cigarette After Sex' is an example of a good one I saw the other day."

2) Keep it fresh

"It is important to work on quality over quantity and make sure to update your playlists to ensure the music stays fresh. This way listeners will stay engaged for longer!"

3) Find new ways to market your playlist

"There are plenty of places to promote your playlists, including Facebook groups which have large numbers of fans looking for their next favourite track. Also, ask artists included in your playlist to share it on their platforms!"

4) Make the first track the best track

"I treat it like a sofa DJ set... a DJ always starts a set with something that catches peoples' ears."

‍5) If you're a producer, don't overload it with your own music

"Don't oversell your own music on playlists - stay authentic, stick to a theme and celebrate other music."

6) Artwork will help you stand out

"Invest in or create some stand-out artwork to help promote your playlist - think outside of the box..."

7) Be picky

"Always think about what's best for the playlist when making a decision about a track... and never do it for any other reason."

8) A human touch

"List tracks in a way that you find flows best - take your followers on a journey throughout!"

‍

Follow Simon Field on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!